So, a break of a day and the Gaddafi is going to get dressed up all over again. All to play for as well in that final. And what a treat this has been today, all the action and some deemed company to cap it off. This is Vineet Anantharaman bidding goodbye along with Pratyush Sinha, Sagar Chawla and Sreenivas. Ta ta!!

Faf du Plessis: We needed it to keep the cup alive. I thought we bowled much better and kept them to a lower score. You always need someone to ensure that we do not collapse; quite the one we did not have yesterday. That's what Amla did, he was steady and took us through. Last night we were disappointed that we did not do well but am glad that we came back strong. I expect the third match to be in similar conditions and hope to continue the form.

Sarfraz Ahmed: We have to give credit to the World XI. Hashim bhai played beautifully. This is a learning opportunity for all of us, it will teach the bowlers how to bowl in tough situations to class players like Hash. We were a bit sloppy in the field and that cost us. Had the execution been better, we could have won this match. You should also have a slower length ball in your kitty apart from the yorkers.

Thisara Perera, Man of the Match: First of all it is an honour to be selected for the World XI side, it was my dream. Hash told me to stay till the end so that we could cash in. Normally I play similarly in situations for my country as well and this has become a habit now (finishing off games). Thanks to the Pakistani fans, they really cheered well for us.

It was delicious for the crowds that have poured in. To imagine that a few of them even left the stands when the spinners had a stranglehold on the proceedings of an obvious Pakistani victory should tell the story. The collapse towards the end in the first innings that meant a cool few runs short too would come back to haunt them. Malik's dropped catch would hurt. Some sloppy fielding would hurt. An over short for Nawaz could hurt. Either all that or Thisara Perera. Wait on, a sermon coming up.

Absolute raw drama. There is never a dearth of it when you are dealing with Pakistan. And the series stays alive. Oh you beaut, Thisara Perera, finding himself retained in the side in the place of Sammy, the crowd favourite, our comments favourite and he stands up and delivers. With a scratchy looking Amla at the other end, not only did find his own lost timing, he put all of it on display like a showpiece. Eventually it was the pressure caused by the absence of playing at home that got onto the Pakistani pacers - who ended up with full tosses replacing their yorkers. Blame the dew as well.

19.5

Raees to Thisara Perera, SIX, there's it. A massive blow. So typically Thisara Perera. After all the advice he got, Raees dishes out a full toss, the juiciest of them, high up and finds it smoked into the sightscreen. And then the roar..seals it snatching it from the mouth of defeat with a ball to spare

Strategy comes out in the form of a drinks bottle. Oh Amla is struggling here for a breathe-in. Okay, what have you got? A super over? A big smack? A wicket? Sarfraz is in Raees's ear..instructions..those dreaded instructions

19.4

Raees to Amla, 1 run, heaved away, across the line and finds the man at mid-wicket on the bounce. Wow. That's 6 in 2 now

19.3

Raees to Amla, 2 runs, chips up. Up...and in no man's territory. Continues to lose his timing, spooning the slog up, over the bowler and well short of long-off and on converging

9 off 4 now

19.2

Raees to Thisara Perera, 1 run, corrects himself does Shadab. A crisp clean gathering to cut off the hammering drive. Long-off again

19.1

Raees to Thisara Perera, 2 runs, a misfield now. Oh boy. Shadab the culprit. Was the slower one to start off with and Perera slaps it away to long-off. Slips out. Dew to the power of pressure

19.1

Raees to Thisara Perera, wide, loses his steam, wide, cutting the line, that dreaded line by a big mark

18.6

Sohail Khan to Thisara Perera, 1 run, back to firing in the yorker. Gets it right for a change as well. Drilled down to keep the strike. 20 off the over

18.5

Sohail Khan to Thisara Perera, SIX, rubs it in. A massive moment this. Sohail loses his radar with the full toss, Perera gets back to doing what he does for a living. His staple bat swing. Across, flat and over cow corner

18.4

Sohail Khan to Thisara Perera, 2 runs, dropped. Oh Shoaib Malik, is that the match? Was a clobbed over the bowler, and Malik running across from long-on gets it at a nice height as well. "You could put his house on him" thinks Pommy on air. And that house has been robbed

22 off 9 now. Three balls that could change it all

18.3

Sohail Khan to Thisara Perera, 2 runs, responds with a blockholer. And Perera's biceps still manage to jam it back past the bowler. A couple stolen

Sohail Khan to Thisara Perera, 2 runs, whips out the standing slog wide of mid-wicket, and the throw comes at the striker's end. Wayward too. Allows Perera in keeping the strike

18.1

Sohail Khan to Thisara Perera, SIX, he's keeping them alive. Bang in the slot, yes, in the form of a full toss and he stoops to get right under it in a carve, straight down. Airy and over

17.6

Raees to Amla, no run, now some innovation. Walks across, reverses and looks to lap it over the keeper. Three shots, no connection. The back of the hand slower one. 33 off 12 now

17.5

Raees to Amla, no run, a bouncing off-cutter. Loops up, and Amla, second guessing ends up on the wrong side. Goes airborne after waiting an eternity on the upper cut. Misses

17.4

Raees to Thisara Perera, 1 run, crouches in a whip down to mid-wicket

17.3

Raees to Thisara Perera, SIX, wild slog, the long handle and the fat bat. Spots the full toss, clears his front leg and skies it down the ground. To imagine that wasn't quite off the middle of the bat too

17.2

Raees to Amla, 1 run, goes yorker. Nicely nailed in. Onto the pad off the jam, and they sneak across

17.1

Raees to Amla, no run, sucked out with the slower one. Deceived big time, follows him leg-sided digging it into the pitch. Amla can only swing across the line , and recover and then swing again by the time the ball gets to him

16.6

Sohail Khan to Amla, 1 run, keeps the strike. Sohail refuses to let him free his arms, following him with the low full toss. A crash, down to long-on

16.5

Sohail Khan to Thisara Perera, 1 run, way too hard on the downward drill again. A low full toss from Sohail and Perera clears his front leg to power it to long-on

16.4

Sohail Khan to Thisara Perera, SIX, here's the pressure release. The slower one, spotted out and murdered. Stays low, swats it away and gives mid-wicket some hope. And that's all he's getting for now

16.3

Sohail Khan to Amla, 1 run, follows him with the in-slant. Takes it across the line, going on the up with the flick to mid-wicket. A single is all he gets

16.2

Sohail Khan to Thisara Perera, 1 run, a low full toss. Misses out on another stray in length. Hammered out to leg, toe-ended

16.1

Sohail Khan to Thisara Perera, no run, a yorker. Jammed back to the bowler, popping up as he does so. In the typical violent nature that Perera does it with. But the spoon coming up makes the Pakistanis appeal. And the umpire goes upstairs. The soft signal - not-out. And yes, it is into the turf first

Sohail Khan [2.0-0-14-1] is back into the attack

15.6

Raees to Amla, FOUR, the freebie comes out. On the hips for a swivel and a dispatch with an angry glance, swishy as he puts it into fine leg. The fence of course

Raees to Amla, FOUR, misses the yorker. And Amla is right on it, laying on. Ends up in the form of a juicy half volley in the slot and smashed through cow corner

15.3

Raees to Thisara Perera,1 run, the back of the hand slower cutter. Done in, all ends up with the rip back in on the tummy off a dragged back length. Plays a couple of nudges on it, a tickle on the body grants the extra

15.2

Raees to Amla, 1 run, drifting down leg. Misses out on this as the tickle finds fine leg

15.1

Raees to Amla, 2 runs, on the toes and a high bat with higher elbows in guiding it to point, who gets sloppy in letting it slip down to third man

Rumman Raees [1.0-0-3-0] is back into the attack

The equation - 63/30 = 12.6 rpo. Pakistan at this stage were 121-2

14.6

Shadab Khan to Amla, 1 run, a slow, gripping turner. Half a flick, on the toes as he drags it from well outside off going against the spin

14.5

Shadab Khan to Thisara Perera, 1 run, yorking himself with his adventures down. Digs it out to long-off. One ball to see off his spell

14.4

Shadab Khan to Amla, 1 run, holds it back, pulls back the length as well. A drilly-cut in front of square

14.3

Shadab Khan to Thisara Perera, 1 run, moves away, flat batted with the slap, quite off the inside half as it rolls meekly to extra cover

14.2

Shadab Khan to Amla, 1 run, full bat faced, in a work down the ground

14.1

Shadab Khan to Thisara Perera, 1 run, fired full and wide. A squeezy stab to point, wide of him rather

Thisara Perera, left handed bat, comes to the crease

13.6

Mohammad Nawaz to du Plessis, out Caught by Shadab Khan!! One dance down too many, one tonk too many. Looks to repeat his earlier luck, but Nawaz smartly follows him. Tossing it up a lot more as well. Chips it up, outside halved, through the line, looking to go over long-off. Finds his throat instead. du Plessis c Shadab Khan b Mohammad Nawaz 20(14) [6s-2]

Mohammad Nawaz to du Plessis, THAT'S OUT!! Caught!!

13.5

Mohammad Nawaz to du Plessis, SIX, the quicker one. And Faf goes brave, takes on the two men manning the straight fence. Down in a flash, high off the bat again with the bat swings but it isn't the 1st of October as yet. Flies over, just

13.4

Mohammad Nawaz to Amla, 1 run, falls over a touch as he overbalances on the nudge off the hips

13.3

Mohammad Nawaz to du Plessis, 1 run, some cheek. Goes down on the scoop, a severe miscue, getting too much of the meat on it in the end. Spoons up, right behind the keeper and short fine does his bit of running towards it without the dive. What does he get? A stare from Sarf

13.2

Mohammad Nawaz to Amla, 1 run, behind the line, a calm knock in front of square

13.1

Mohammad Nawaz to Amla, 1 run, running down, to the pitch of it and a whippy-flick to cow corner. Right in between the men out there to pinch the second. What's more, there's his fifty too. And a short run, but the fifty isn't denied

12.6

Shadab Khan to Amla, 1 run, a skip away to use the spin going away in a cover-cut

12.5

Shadab Khan to du Plessis, 1 run, sensibley knocks it into off with a fence

12.4

Shadab Khan to du Plessis, SIX, goes downtown. And deposits it further. Stays put, but the arms start swinging. A mighty blow and skies into the sightscreen

12.3

Shadab Khan to Amla, 1 run, dipping in full, too close for comfort with the bat coming down a touch late off the high backlift. Jammed out, down the ground

12.2

Shadab Khan to Amla, no run, moves away, powers the stab, quite off the sticker to point

12.1

Shadab Khan to du Plessis, 1 run, plants the front leg well outside off and then takes the wide tosser up with the sweep. A clean dive at deep square leg keeps it to a single

11.6

Mohammad Nawaz to Amla, no run, a running appeal. The lack of turn again as Amla looks to play for it. Ends up playing all around and takes it on the pad, the outer portion of it. Yup, drifting down with the slant

11.5

Mohammad Nawaz to Amla, SIX, how do you take the awkward bounce out? With a dance down of course. Amla is right there at the pitch of it, takes on the flight on offer as well as he goes full-blooded with the tonk down. And over

11.4

Mohammad Nawaz to Amla, no run, biting up now. A mini-cobra as it kicks up from middle, rears away and once again induces the miscued leading edge. And once again it goes where no one is

11.3

Mohammad Nawaz to du Plessis, 1 run, an easing drive, to the pitch of it in squeezing it down the ground

11.2

Mohammad Nawaz to du Plessis, no run, tied up as Nawaz follows the backing away. A cramped up stab, under-edged back past the stumps

11.1

Mohammad Nawaz to Amla, 1 run, sharp rip across off. Picked out with a glance, angle batted to mid-wicket

Mohammad Nawaz [1.0-0-7-0] is back into the attack

10.6

Shadab Khan to Amla, 1 run, darts it in with the angle on off. A cramped up chop

10.5

Shadab Khan to du Plessis, 1 run, stays back in a force to a deepish extra cover

10.4

Shadab Khan to Amla, 1 run, Sarf seems interested. Charges at the umpire in appeal, who deflects the responsibilty upstairs. Was one of the strangest dives in the first place you'd ever see from Faf. He skids on his knees, head down and bat stretched out. Perhaps a strategy to avoid the throw, a throw based on the Pakistani reputation. Was a good one for a change. Started with just a dab down to short third and Faf calls his across. Just about in, as the bails are whipped off. Perhaps a case of the missing frame. Inside it is

10.3

Shadab Khan to du Plessis, 1 run, on middle now, a hint of air thrown up as well. Flicks it to a deepish mid-wicket now

10.2

Shadab Khan to Amla, 1 run, a wafty jab, outside halving it away from the body to short third man

10.1

Shadab Khan to du Plessis, 1 run, drags the clip, against the turn off the back foot to mid-wicket

9.6

Imad Wasim to Amla, no run, gets across, close enough and indulges in a late flicky cover-tap

9.5

Imad Wasim to du Plessis, 1 run, off and running with an opened up square punch

9.4

Imad Wasim to du Plessis, no run, a careful head-falling-on-ball as he wrists it back down the pitch

9.3

Imad Wasim to du Plessis, no run, now a biter. Grips on off, drawing Faf forward into a poke, and whizzes past

Faf du Plessis, right handed bat, comes to the crease

9.2

Imad Wasim to Paine, out Bowled!! A sleeper. One that has the gravity of Jupiter. Wasim drifts it away, slingy while Paine looks to line himself up after the walk going away in freeing his long levers. Carves the bat, violently off the back foot, tries to crouch down as well to adjust to the lack of the ball getting up. Never could. Rolls away to the bottom of off. Sign of things to come? Paine b Imad Wasim 10(12) [4s-1]

Imad Wasim to Paine, THAT'S OUT!! Bowled!!

9.1

Imad Wasim to Amla, 1 run, a delicate slice. Typically into the covers

8.6

Shadab Khan to Paine, no run, and does him in. Looks to read out the wrong 'un from the turf, when it actually turns away. A waft inside the line nevertheless

8.5

Shadab Khan to Amla, 1 run, stuck down, with the hands commited on the swish. Ends up skewing it off the leading-edge. Safely past a shortish cover though

8.4

Shadab Khan to Paine, 1 run, a arched back punch, square, and some lazy taking off out there from cover-point leaks another milking

Shadab Khan to Amla, SIX, he's turning it on. Ever so beautifully. Forgets reading the spin that there might have been on this one, he doesn't need to. Sinks down and slogs, behind square. And for the crowds

8.1

Shadab Khan to Paine, 1 run, glides backwards, opens up his stance in an airy chip. Over mid-wicket it is

Shadab Khan, right-arm leg break, comes into the attack

7.6

Imad Wasim to Paine, 1 run, a polite tap straight to cover and the misfield ruins all the hope of making it interesting

7.5

Imad Wasim to Amla, 1 run, flat feet, but quick hands in a whip to mid-on, where Wasim is on to mop up. Gets a disheartened 'come on' from the skipper. Just the kind to ruin your day

7.4

Imad Wasim to Amla, no run, changes it up. Holds it back, gives it air, in short goes conventional. Makes Amla stand up and check his chip back

7.3

Imad Wasim to Paine, 1 run, sliding on quicker, opens up the bat in the punch now. Sweeper it is

7.2

Imad Wasim to Paine, no run, a quick back away, throws his hands out at the width to chop. Finds point in return

7.1

Imad Wasim to Amla, 1 run, a wristy-drive, on the toes and knocked down to long-on

Imad Wasim [2.0-0-21-0] is back into the attack

6.6

Mohammad Nawaz to Paine, no run, fired in on leg, hits Paine on the pad

6.5

Mohammad Nawaz to Paine, FOUR, that's a dangler for Sohail, and leaves him between trying to take the catch and trying to stop the ball. He manages to do neither. Paine bends across, scoops the ball in the air, and just about clears short fine leg. Rolls away from Sohail to the boundary

6.4

Mohammad Nawaz to Amla, 1 run, turning away from middle, Amla backs away and whips a single to long-off

6.3

Mohammad Nawaz to Amla, no run, not short enough to cut, Amla is beaten

6.2

Mohammad Nawaz to Paine, 1 run, punches to the right of Nawaz who dives but can't stop it cleanly

Sohail Khan to Amla, 1 run, back of a length on middle, clipped to deep backward square

5.4

Sohail Khan to Paine, 1 run, works it off the pads through mid-wicket

Tim Paine, right handed bat, comes to the crease

5.3

Sohail Khan to Tamim, out Caught by Shoaib Malik!! It was Collingwood earlier, and now it's Malik; the veterans setting the field on fire. What a superb catch this is. Good length ball on leg, Tamim whips it stylishly but he hasn't got the elevation, even if he has the timing, to get it over short fine leg. Malik stretches full length to the right to grab it. Lovely stuff. Tamim c Shoaib Malik b Sohail Khan 23(19) [4s-2 6s-1]

Sohail Khan to Tamim, THAT'S OUT!! Caught!!

5.2

Sohail Khan to Amla, 1 run, back of a length, Amla punches to mid-off for one

5.1

Sohail Khan to Amla, 2 runs, drags the pull away off the toe-end to the right of deep square leg

Sohail Khan [1.0-0-9-0] is back into the attack

4.6

Raees to Tamim, no run, pitched right up, Tamim jams it back down the pitch where Raees stretches his leg out to stop

Raees to Tamim, no run, presses forward and knocks it into the on-side

4.2

Raees to Tamim, no run, good length around off, defended

4.1

Raees to Amla, 1 run, shuffles across and tucks it to deep backward square

Rumman Raees, left-arm fast medium, comes into the attack

3.6

Usman Khan to Amla, 1 run, may have been a cutter, stayed a touch low too. Amla toe-ends his flick towards mid-on

3.5

Usman Khan to Amla, FOUR, there he is again, punching the ball to the boundary. Back of a length, he stands tall and strokes it gorgeously straight of mid-off

3.4

Usman Khan to Amla, no run, on middle and leg, Usman gets away. Amla flicked the ball straight to short fine leg

3.3

Usman Khan to Amla, FOUR, punchy drive through the covers, trademark Amla. Good length on off, Amla nails it to the boundary. It sped off the middle of his bat

3.2

Usman Khan to Tamim, leg byes, 1 run, slippery back of length ball, nips in and hits Tamim around the thigh

3.1

Usman Khan to Amla, 1 run, clipped wide of mid-wicket, the fielder dives for a half-stop

Usman Khan, left-arm fast medium, comes into the attack

2.6

Imad Wasim to Tamim, FOUR, this time he does get the sweep away over backward square leg. The pace from Wasim had beaten him previously, but this time he's quick to latch onto it

2.5

Imad Wasim to Tamim, no run, can't get the sweep away over backward square

2.4

Imad Wasim to Tamim, 2 runs, what an outstanding effort from Ahmed Shehzad to stop the boundary. A miscued slog from Tamim, skews it wide of long-on where Shehzad pounces on the ball and pulls it back from behind him

2.3

Imad Wasim to Tamim, no run, flat on middle and leg, punches it to mid-wicket

2.2

Imad Wasim to Tamim, FOUR, gets down low and paddles it fine. The new ball is skidding on nicely, and Tamim uses its pace superbly well

2.1

Imad Wasim to Tamim, SIX, exposes his stumps, lures Wasim to provide swinging room and then lofts him straight down the ground for six. Calculative batting

1.6

Sohail Khan to Amla, FOUR, too straight, Amla dispatches it for World XI's first boundary of the innings. Strong wrists from the South Africa batsman as he dismisses it through mid-wicket

1.5

Sohail Khan to Tamim, 1 run, back of a length on middle, clipped to deep square leg

Sohail Khan to Tamim, 2 runs, good length ball swinging in on middle, clipped away through mid-wicket. There is protection in the deep but the fielder is too square, so there's a couple on offer

Sohail Khan, right-arm fast medium, comes into the attack

0.6

Imad Wasim to Amla, 2 runs, drifting in on middle and leg, Amla works it to the right of long-on for two

0.5

Imad Wasim to Amla, no run, Amla is denied the room as he punches to cover

0.4

Imad Wasim to Tamim, 1 run, flat at the stumps, punched to long-on. That's where Wasim is so good: you know what you're getting from him

0.3

Imad Wasim to Amla, 1 run, swirls it back in at the stumps, Amla punches to long-on

0.2

Imad Wasim to Tamim, 1 run, drifts it away from off, defended into the covers for a quick single

0.1

Imad Wasim to Tamim, no run, fired in on leg, Tamim paddles it to short fine leg

Tamim and Amla are at the crease. Tamim is on strike. Imad Wasim will open the attack

Players are back already. Wasim to begin with his round the wicket swirlers.

20:43 Local Time, 15:43 GMT, 21:13 IST: 17 off the final over, to compensate for the penultimate one which had gone for just 6. Pakistan will be reasonably happy with their efforts. But World XI have managed to keep the total in check too. It could have been a lot worse, after the Shehzad-Azam parternship had set the stage for a massive finish. It's too early to make a call, but the pitch seems a touch slower than yesterday. But if the dew comes in, it will favour the World XI batsmen. Stay tuned for the chase..

19.6

Cutting to Shoaib Malik, out Caught by Collingwood!! Fullish outside off, Malik carves it into the off-side, and is fantastically caught by 41-year-old Collingwood. He had to run in and then dive forward; hasn't lost a step. Shoaib Malik c Collingwood b Cutting 39(23) [4s-1 6s-3]

Cutting to Shoaib Malik, THAT'S OUT!! Caught!!

19.5

Cutting to Shoaib Malik, SIX, sits back on the leg-cutter and heaves it over long-on. Could that have been taken? Maybe, if the fielder was right back. But as it is, he wasn't. Du Plessis isn't pleased

19.4

Cutting to Sohail Khan, 1 run, mows it through to deep mid-wicket

19.3

Cutting to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, Miller drops a sitter at deep mid-wicket. A mistimed slog from Malik off a full toss, and it was a comfortable chance. The ball just popped out

19.3

Cutting to Shoaib Malik, wide, well wide of off, should be a wide. It is a wide. Malik walked across to cover off-stump initially, and that may have put Cutting off

19.2

Cutting to Shoaib Malik, 2 runs, full toss outside off, slapped away to the right of sweeper cover for two

19.1

Cutting to Shoaib Malik, SIX, ferocious swing of the bat from Malik, muscles the pull over the ropes more than anything else. Short ball, climbs on Malik who swings off his feet. May have even been a thick top-edge, but it sails

Ben Cutting [3.0-0-35-0] is back into the attack

Sohail Khan, right handed bat, comes to the crease

18.6

Thisara Perera to Sarfraz, out Caught by Tahir!! Straight to short third man. Pakistan wobbling towards the end. Short of length just outside off, Sarfraz uses the pace beautifully but glides it straight to Tahir. Golden duck for the skipper. Sarfraz c Tahir b Thisara Perera 0(1)

Thisara Perera to Sarfraz, THAT'S OUT!! Caught!!

18.5

Thisara Perera to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, nowhere near the ball after giving the charge, chops it to backward point

Sarfraz Ahmed, right handed bat, comes to the crease

18.4

Thisara Perera to Imad Wasim, out Caught by Tahir!! The last two deliveries Wasim faced were low full tosses, so the idea from him to try and lap the ball over short fine leg is not a bad one. He even gets the delivery he wants; it's a low full toss on middle. But Wasim doesn't get hold of the scoop and spoons it straight to short fine leg. Imad Wasim c Tahir b Thisara Perera 15(11) [4s-2]

Thisara Perera to Imad Wasim, THAT'S OUT!! Caught!!

18.3

Thisara Perera to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, back of a length leg-cutter on off, steered to short third man

18.2

Thisara Perera to Imad Wasim, 1 run, another low full toss, ploughed down to long-on

18.1

Thisara Perera to Imad Wasim, 2 runs, low full toss at the stumps, Wasim scoops it off the toe-end in between long-on and long-off for a couple

18.1

Thisara Perera to Imad Wasim, no ball, Wasim holes out, but is that a no-ball? The umpires will go upstairs. Oh it's definitely over the waist when Wasim makes contact. He almost pulled it off his throat, and then too, the timing was superb. Just that he hit it flat to deep square leg. Free-hit coming up

Thisara Perera [2.0-0-17-0] is back into the attack

17.6

Morne Morkel to Imad Wasim, 1 run, rushed by the short ball, mistimes the pull to long-on

17.6

Morne Morkel to Imad Wasim, wide, nails the blockhole but bowls down the leg-side. Wasim wants to steal a single, sent back, and survives. No direct hit from Paine

17.5

Morne Morkel to Imad Wasim, no run, gave it away, gave it away. Shapes for the reverse-lap too early and Morkel responds by bowling it short. Wasim swings and misses

17.4

Morne Morkel to Imad Wasim, FOUR, short of length on leg, Wasim swivels inside it and pulls it to the long leg boundary. Looks to be in some good batting rhythm

17.3

Morne Morkel to Imad Wasim, 2 runs, makes some room and thwacks it down the ground, diving stop from long-on

17.2

Morne Morkel to Imad Wasim, FOUR, punched down the ground, past mid-on for four. It was a half-volley, and what Wasim did well was not to overhit the ball. The timing is excellent. Proper shot

17.1

Morne Morkel to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, short of length just outside off, not enough room for Malik to smash the cut away, and he under-edges it to short third man

Morne Morkel [3.0-0-7-0] is back into the attack

16.6

Badree to Imad Wasim, no run, blocked into the covers

16.5

Badree to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, dances down but Badree gives him nothing as he fires it in, Malik is forced to stand down. He carefully pushes it to long-off

Badree to Babar Azam, out Caught by Miller!! Babar Azam has miscued this, and it's Miller underneath. He makes the catch look really easy. Flat on off, Azam was swinging for the mid-wicket region, but the ball turned on him, producing a thick leading edge. It skied up towards long-on, and gave Miller enough time to settle underneath. Another fine knock from Azam, but he can't kick on like yesterday. Babar Azam c Miller b Badree 45(38) [4s-5]

Badree to Babar Azam, THAT'S OUT!! Caught!!

16.1

Badree to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, follows Malik as he moves down leg, keeps him to a single down to long-on

15.6

Tahir to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, plays the googly down to long-on

15.6

Tahir to Shoaib Malik, wide, really wide of off stump this time, left alone

15.5

Tahir to Shoaib Malik, FOUR, poor ball. It's fired down the leg-side, and Malik simply glances it away past short fine leg for four, using all the pace on it

15.4

Tahir to Shoaib Malik, no run, that's beautifully bowled from Tahir, with Malik aiming for an encore. He tosses it up wider, makes Malik stretch and turns it past the bat. But because the ball was tossed wider, Paine took considerable time in gathering the ball and then breaking the stumps. By that time, Malik gets in

15.3

Tahir to Shoaib Malik, SIX, races to the pitch of the ball and launches it straight back down the ground. Handsome strike from Malik

15.2

Tahir to Shoaib Malik, no run, played back to the bowler

15.1

Tahir to Babar Azam, 1 run

Imran Tahir [2.0-0-16-1] is back into the attack

14.6

Badree to Babar Azam, 1 run, works it down to long-on

14.5

Badree to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, chopped into the cover-point region

14.4

Badree to Babar Azam, 1 run, jumps out of the crease and pushes the ball to long-off

14.3

Badree to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, keeping the trajectory flat, and pushing it through the air. Malik hangs in the crease, allows the ball to turn and clips it down to long-on

Cutting to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, slower off-cutter, bounces spongily from a short of length. Malik hops to the leg-side and dabs to short third man

13.3

Cutting to Babar Azam, 1 run, pulls it down to fine leg

13.2

Cutting to Babar Azam, FOUR, that's just glorious from Azam. Cutting can go back in bewilderment, thinking what he has done wrong; he won't find many answers. Back of length on middle, barely around waist height, and Azam whips a pull backward of square. Some timing. It races away

13.1

Cutting to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, back of a length just outside off, Malik dabs to short third man for one

12.6

Tahir to Shoaib Malik, 1 run, the slider and on the stumps, dabbed to backward point

12.5

Tahir to Babar Azam, 1 run, slower and just outside off, Azam drives it all along the carpet to long-off

12.4

Tahir to Babar Azam, FOUR, flatter and subsidized with width, Azam stays slightly legside and cuts it past Tamim at deep backward point for a boundary

12.3

Tahir to Babar Azam, no run, flatter and on the stumps, defended off the front foot

Shoaib Malik, right handed bat, comes to the crease

12.2

Tahir to Ahmed Shehzad, out Caught by Miller!! Good tumbling catch by Miller at long-on. And blame this dismissal on how Tahir got the ball to hurry onto Ahmed Shehzad. Was always intending a loft down the ground but doesn't get the time to open the bat face straight-on, and ended up clonking it slightly more leg-side than he'd have liked. Ahmed Shehzad c Miller b Tahir 43(34) [4s-5 6s-1]

Cutting to Babar Azam, 1 run, crease-bound but has his weight going on top of this leg-stumpish delivery. Works it to deep backward square

11.1

Cutting to Babar Azam, 2 runs, wristed to deep mid-wicket. Softly played to buy time for the second run, which he completes fairly comfortably

Ben Cutting [1.0-0-14-0] is back into the attack

This unsynchronized noise from the crowd reminds me of how Calcutta works. Well, you can take that in the context of Eden Gardens too, umm

10.6

Tahir to Babar Azam, 1 run, quicker delivery played well off the back foot. Opens the wristy punch through covers

10.5

Tahir to Ahmed Shehzad, 1 run, intended a slog that clears cow corner but the length's fuller, so takes the inside half and scoots to long-on

10.4

Tahir to Babar Azam, 1 run, flatter and quicker, worked round the corner from deep inside the crease

10.3

Tahir to Babar Azam, FOUR, drifts down leg and straightens, playing into the hands of Babar Azam's last-minute paddle

10.2

Tahir to Ahmed Shehzad, 1 run, another drag down but bowled slow, gets away with a pull that drops short of deep mid-wicket

10.1

Tahir to Babar Azam, 1 run, starts with a quicker one that slides on. And is dropped short; pulled round the corner

Imran Tahir, right-arm leg break, comes into the attack

Faf is still having to captain Tahir here, too. Chats with him for the field settings. Let's see what we've got: cool, no slip

9.6

Thisara Perera to Babar Azam, 1 run, punched to long-on

Sammy spotted with a towel around his shoulder and a smile weighing his cheeks down. That's gravity

9.5

Thisara Perera to Ahmed Shehzad, 1 run, this was better timed straight down the ground but long-on's intercepted it

9.4

Thisara Perera to Babar Azam, 1 run, commits his weight in front, and gets a length ball. Jabs it to mid-on for a single

9.3

Thisara Perera to Babar Azam, FOUR, straight bat and punched to the other side of the stumps. Thisara Perera's right hand in his followthrough cannot do much

9.2

Thisara Perera to Ahmed Shehzad, 1 run, now fields well at backward point to embarrass me. Collingwood there. Dives and stops this open thrash-punch from Ahmed Shehzad

9.1

Thisara Perera to Babar Azam, 1 run, weight in front but he's on top of the bounce (and pace) and swivels it to long leg

Collingwood and Perera bowling in tanden is not the greatest ODI pair ever, you can dare to say

8.6

Collingwood to Ahmed Shehzad, FOUR, this back of a length delivery actually stalked Ahmed Shehzad down leg but he's nicely kept his head cool and opened the bat face to fine the gap behind point. Collingwood's pace coming to Shehzad's party there

8.5

Collingwood to Babar Azam, 1 run, slow. Even slowe. On leg-stump with some indrift and it's clipped to mid-wicket

8.4

Collingwood to Ahmed Shehzad, 1 run, controls the pull to long leg

Oh dear, those ad boards, which make the boundaries in modern times, lie in a mess. Gosh it must be windy

8.3

Collingwood to Ahmed Shehzad, 2 runs, slide-stop by Miller in the deep, straight down the ground. Ran across from long-on there to stol this straight drill-drive from Ahmed Shehzad

8.2

Collingwood to Ahmed Shehzad, FOUR, that's half a win for the bowler and then half for the batsman. Ahmed Shehzad is way early into his loft but adjusts late minute, slicing it over Collingwood's head

8.2

Collingwood to Ahmed Shehzad, wide, what do you say.. Ahmed Shehzad has jumped out of the crease, gets a bouncer to keep his aggressive hormones in check. And that's been wided..

8.1

Collingwood to Babar Azam, 1 run, back of a length, has been backfoot-stabbed to long-on

Back for the second..

7.6

Thisara Perera to Babar Azam, 1 run, skids on off-stump and is wristed to mid-off. Late adjustment from Thisara Perera

7.5

Thisara Perera to Babar Azam, no run, shows the full face of the bat and prods it back

7.4

Thisara Perera to Babar Azam, FOUR, past keeper's athletic dive to the right. Babar Azam throws his bat and elicits a thick edge that's flying to the third man fence

7.3

Thisara Perera to Babar Azam, no run, dabbles beside this thrusted-forward front foot and ekes out a flat edge to point

7.2

Thisara Perera to Ahmed Shehzad, 1 run, stays back and this ball's bouncing at him. So he somehow controls the bounce to long-on

7.1

Thisara Perera to Ahmed Shehzad, 2 runs, sightly stuttered second run but that throw's loop killed all the excitement en route to the keeper. Ahmed Shehzad had driven it through covers with some bottom-hand in play

Thisara Perera, right-arm medium, comes into the attack

6.6

Collingwood to Ahmed Shehzad, 1 run, similar delivery with a touch of curve, Ahmed Shehzad fetches it to long-on

6.5

Collingwood to Babar Azam, 1 run, pitched up wide - something he was trying last ball - and is push-driven off the front foot. Single wide of mid-off

6.4

Collingwood to Babar Azam, no run, would have been a wide had Babar Azam left it. But he reaches across outside off and drives off the toe-end, only to find mid-off

6.3

Collingwood to Babar Azam, no run, not as short but there's some seam off the deck. Babar Azam lets it go

6.2

Collingwood to Ahmed Shehzad, 1 run, oh they're sitting up at his pace but he wants to bounce them out. This pull is picked up over mid-wicket. Intended much more there, did Ahmed Shehzad

6.1

Collingwood to Babar Azam, 1 run, rejoice, Collingwood is back! Bowls a short dibbly-dobbly - eish! - and is pulled round the corner

Paul Collingwood, right-arm medium, comes into the attack

5.6

Morne Morkel to Ahmed Shehzad, no run, beaten by the slower delivery. Comes down the track and makes some room too, trying to waft at the delivery but he's way too early. Morkel had the wits to bowl it short and slower, completely hoaxing Ahmed Shehzad's game plan. 43/1 in the powerplay

5.5

Morne Morkel to Ahmed Shehzad, no run, typical Morkel. Back of a length and then jumping up outside off, meaning Ahmed Shehzad misses his cut shot

Bailey spotted giving away signed placards

5.4

Morne Morkel to Ahmed Shehzad, no run, no pace off the deck. Ahmed Shehzad waits, hops and then jabs it out to covers

We have a long-on now

5.3

Morne Morkel to Babar Azam, 1 run, not as short this time, so this stab-punch isn't timed. Bat turns, eking a cheap single to mid-off

5.2

Morne Morkel to Babar Azam, no run, nice back foot punch but may have been a touch late on it to be able to find the placement. Times it to the cover fielder

5.1

Morne Morkel to Babar Azam, no run, in the crease to block a ball off-side

Last over of the powerplay. Babar has taken the strike

4.6

Badree to Babar Azam, 1 run, waits for this delivery and works it around his front pad. He's off the mark before I could introduce him

Babar Azam, right handed bat, comes to the crease

4.5

Badree to Fakhar Zaman, out Lbw!! He just about managed to sweep the last ball, so Badree bowls it as flat but slower. Fakhar Zaman is early and is pinned in front. Replays in: Pitches on leg and slides on; so a fair enough decision you'd say. Fakhar Zaman lbw b Badree 21(13) [4s-4]

Badree to Fakhar Zaman, THAT'S OUT!! Lbw!!

4.4

Badree to Fakhar Zaman, no run, manages to get on top of a sweep behind square. Finds the fielder there

4.3

Badree to Ahmed Shehzad, 1 run, full and flat, leg-stumpish, and we have a single round the corner

4.2

Badree to Ahmed Shehzad, no run, pushed away

4.1

Badree to Ahmed Shehzad, FOUR, a flat leg break that sits up, Ahmed Shehzad runs down and snorts it to the long-off fence. Might have bounce once I think

4.1

Badree to Ahmed Shehzad, wide, slider going down leg

3.6

Morne Morkel to Fakhar Zaman, no run, feet don't move, so he talls up in the crease and dabs the rising ball to backward point

3.5

Morne Morkel to Ahmed Shehzad, 1 run, full but he's stayed back to it and then just softed it to deepish mid-on for an urgent single

3.4

Morne Morkel to Ahmed Shehzad, no run, stomps across an abbreviated stride and drives on the up, to the fielder

3.3

Morne Morkel to Fakhar Zaman, 1 run, picks it from in front of the front thigh and gives it a jack kinda lift-up to fine leg

Anybody has a more sophisticated word for a "long piece of cloth"? It's been blown away by the wind again. It's Lahore; they're hungry too

3.1

Morne Morkel to Fakhar Zaman, 1 run, allows the ball to come and picks a quick single to backward point, opening the bat face last minute and all. Not a shot you frequenly associate with Zaman but it doesn't hurt to be cute

Morne Morkel [1.0-0-2-0] is back into the attack

2.6

Badree to Ahmed Shehzad, FOUR, now this has just an iota of room but Ahmed Shehzad has more worked the length here. Backed away - little much - and then sliced it behind point

2.5

Badree to Ahmed Shehzad, FOUR, shimmies out and pops the slog-drive uppishly but wide of mid-off there

2.4

Badree to Ahmed Shehzad, no run, front foot nicely outta way, having taken a step down the track, and then punches on the up to cover

2.3

Badree to Fakhar Zaman, 1 run, uses his feet and nabs a single leg-side

2.2

Badree to Fakhar Zaman, FOUR, some turn off middle - he's bowling to the left hander from over the wicket - and it means that the delivery was way too straight. Stays back and cocks his wrists around to work the gap between two men behind square

2.1

Badree to Ahmed Shehzad, 1 run, flat and full on off and middle, worked to mid-wicket

Samuel Badree, right-arm leg break, comes into the attack

Time for spin. No slip

1.6

Cutting to Fakhar Zaman, FOUR, now you can't blame Cutting much here. Fakhar Zaman backed away quite early, he just followed him to cut the room off and guess what the batsman does: uses his wrists and glances it to the fine leg fence. 14 runs off the over..

1.5

Cutting to Fakhar Zaman, FOUR, another straight delivery on the pads, tucked to fine leg fence

1.4

Cutting to Fakhar Zaman, no run, falls between the bowler and the keeper. Short ball pulled ungainly: takes the glove and ricochets up off the helmet. The bowler was nearly there, the keeper was too, behind the wicket, of course, but none right under to catch it

1.3

Cutting to Fakhar Zaman, FOUR, here's some Tennis at Lahore. Comes down the track and smacks it with a flat bat over Cutting's head

1.2

Cutting to Ahmed Shehzad, 1 run, it's not thanksgiving yet but Cutting's dished one full on the pads. Gets away with a single conceded round the corner

1.1

Cutting to Fakhar Zaman, 1 run, full and thrashed on the up through extra cover, for mid-off to clean up

Ben Cutting, right-arm fast medium, comes into the attack

0.6

Morne Morkel to Ahmed Shehzad, no run, full and wristed to mid-on. Non-striker Fakhar Zaman was off the blocks but quickly hurries back in

0.5

Morne Morkel to Ahmed Shehzad, no run, stays back and drops a length ball to mid-off. Intends a run and then shelves that idea

0.4

Morne Morkel to Ahmed Shehzad, no run, pushed off-side

Things still flying around. Now it's the turn of the black cloth that covers the LED ad boards

Morne Morkel to Ahmed Shehzad, no run, goes wide of the crease and coaxes out a back foot defence with the length - shortish - and the incoming angle

0.2

Morne Morkel to Ahmed Shehzad, wide, wobble off the pitch and this back of a length delivery becomes ineligible for a cut. Ahmed Shehzad chases it but it's always going away. Too much away

0.1

Morne Morkel to Fakhar Zaman, 1 run, pitches outside off and is dropped into the off-side for a quick single

Fakhar Zaman and Ahmed Shehzad are at the crease. Fakhar Zaman is on strike. Morne Morkel will open the attack

One slip

06:57pm local: Okay, we are back with live updates. Pakistan's openers walk out. It's quite windy out there, so your brollies are susceptible in way different to normal. Anyway, Morkel, like yesterday, will want to strike early again. On top of his mark.

Both teams posing happily together now, meaning the duststorm has subsided. Things we update..

06:40pm local: Hearing it's more pleasant than required at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Things are flying around, in dust and fury. And it's gone blurry. "Hopefully we will start the game on time," says Wasim Akram. You can totally blame Paul Collingwood's international comeback for this.

Du Plessis: "We brought in the extra spinner, so we wanted to bat first too. Last night, we gave 20 runs too many. Hopefully we can restrict them. It's nice to play with a different team, different characters. We play cricket to try and win matches. The nice thing about this tournament is that it's not just about winning."

Sarfraz: We will bat. The conditions are good, we have made the changes. Hasan has a back issue, so (Usman Khan) Shinwari comes in. Mohammad Nawaz is (also) playing today (for Fahim Ashraf). These are forced changes. It's a strong team, so we will try to compete again. (translated)

Pakistan have won the toss and have opted to bat

Toss time!

Pommy, in his pitch report, reckons that "it's more sealed" as compared to the first game, so should play a little bit better. He thinks that the captains won't be unhappy to chase.

Paul Collingwood was left feeling like a kid on Christmas eve yesterday, despite not getting a game. He spoke to the press of how desperately he wanted to take the field. Will he get a chance in today's encounter? I'm also hearing that Hasan Ali is suffering from a bad back. We'll wait for the toss for official confirmation of the teams.

What took place yesterday was not just a cricket match, it was something greater. It was a celebration at the Gaddafi Stadium where scores and scores of people rejoiced at the return of something they had once lost. And tonight won't be any different. Soak it in Pakistan, it's been a long time coming.

06:00pm local: Can Pakistan register a series win today? Okay, let me rephrase that. Can Pakistan register a series win against World XI at home today? Sounds just about right. Momentum is often a cliche that puts one to sleep, but when two matches are played in two days, momentum, miraculously, sanely, does imbibe more logic. Expect a better show from the du Plessis-led side. Expect even higher decibels at Lahore. Will The World XI persist with Perera, who was expensive yesterday?